La Vuelta Bistro Latino Has Fine Food, Latin Flavor

LLocated on an industrial block near the Citicorp tower in Long Island City, La Vuelta Bistro Latino is a great escape from the city grind. La Vuelta’s charming, relaxed atmosphere will instantly put you in a good mood. Exposed brick walls are adorned with beautiful photos, paintings and sculptures by area artists. The gallery changes every two months and all pieces can be purchased. Besides the cool tile floors that lend an outdoor feeling, there’s also a large outdoor patio for al fresco dining on balmy summer nights.

La Vuelta Bistro Latino was opened four years ago by Elias Batas, a young, amiable restaurateur who grew up in the restaurant business. La Vuelta earned its solid reputation by serving Pan-Latin dishes inspired by the cuisines of Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Ecuador. Yet, with all these wonderful influences, La Vuelta also caters to a New York clientele seeking fresh fish, shrimp and steak and more, all at reasonable prices.

Start with a refreshing cocktail. Their signature concoction, Soroa, is a margarita type drink that blends Cuban rum, apricot brandy and a splash of pineapple juice that will set you in the right mood. Minty mojitos, margaritas and martinis also make for a great Happy Hour on Mondays through Thursdays, when these drinks are sold two for the price of one. There’s also an extensive wine list with varieties from Chile, Italy, Argentina and California, starting at $22. Icy cold beers will also complement the zesty food.

Appetizers include such familiar dishes as quesadillas and barbecued wings, and you’ll be happily surprised by their unique preparation. The meaty chicken wings are marinated in tamarind sauce before grilling and then served with additional sauce for dipping. Choose your own quesadilla filling among Portobello mushrooms, grilled chicken or sun-dried tomatoes with plenty of melted jack cheese. I suggest you branch out and order the shrimp ceviche, a cold, marinated shrimp salad with red onion, lime and cilantro. The ceviche is beautifully presented in a chilled martini glass rimmed in sea salt. Coconut shrimp are excellent for sharing and meant to be dipped into the homemade, slightly spicy tomatillo salsa. Pinchos de camaron are tiny skewers of shrimp and vegetables, served with a great dipping sauce. Shrimp in lime broth was perhaps my favorite, as I scooped up all the flavorful broth with crispy plantain chips.

Sharing a few of these wonderful appetizers would make a meal, but the entrees are just too good to pass up. There’s always fresh fish of the day, such as pan seared sea bass with flaky white meat beneath a crisp, brown crust. Served atop a heap of freshly mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach, this dish was really outstanding for its freshness and preparation. Fresh bass filets are stuffed with baby shrimp, then rolled up and fried crisp, making this another good choice ($18). Cod encrusted with plantains is a unique and flavorful dish, as is the grilled salmon with black bean salsa.

If you prefer meat, La Vuelta’s Argentine skirt steak is cooked to melt-in-your-mouth perfection and served with zesty chimichurri sauce and a heap of mashed potatoes ($15.50). La Vuelta’s chef makes a delicious version of arroz con pollo with boneless chicken and seasoned rice with vegetables. The generous portion of this delicious dish will almost certainly leave enough for lunch the next day ($11). I can’t wait till my next visit, when I’ll try the grilled pork chops with white beans ($14).

Hard as it sounds, save room for dessert and Cuban coffee, mixed with sweetened, condensed milk. Flan and rice pudding are both creamy and light, while the turtle cheesecake with pecans and chocolate ganache is pure decadence.

La Vuelta Bistro Latino has a fantastic fixed price menu on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 5 to 11 p.m. For just $16.95, you can enjoy a choice of several of their regular menu items, such as the skirt steak, cod or salmon along with an appetizer, dessert and coffee. This is a delicious and economical way to enjoy the great food at La Vuelta and make a weeknight into something special. On Friday nights a disk jockey plays music from the ‘70s to today, while a convivial, hip crowd gathers at the bar before sitting down for dinner.

Visit LaVuelta soon and during the warm weather, take advantage of their outdoor patio. The food is fresh and flavorful, the drinks are cool and the service is friendly and professional. Owner Batas is always on hand to make sure every dining experience is a pleasant one. In Spanish, La Vuelta can mean either the trip or the return. I know I’ll be making many return trips to La Vuelta for more good food and drinks.

La Vuelta Bistro Latino

10-43 44th Dr. Long Island City

718-361-1858

lavuelta@lavueltabistro.com